Explosive-engine.



No. 642,l43. Patented lan. 30, |900.

T. MALCOLMSON.

EXPLGSIVE ENGINE.

(Application Bled Aug. 13, 1898.)

(No Model.)

PET:

rn; wams @MMM/Lewes STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS MAIIOOLMSON, OF SIVERLY, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- FOURTH TOJOIIN GEORGE SIGMANN, OF OIL CITY, PENNSYLVANIA.

EXPLOSIVEENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 642,143, dated January 30, 1900.

Application filed August 13, 1898. Serial No. 688.500. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.:

Be it known that 1, THOMAS MALcoLMsoN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Siverly, in the county of Venango and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in EXplosiveEngines, of which the followingis a specification.

My invention consists in the improvement hereinafter described and claimed.

In order that my invention may be fully understood, I describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan of an explosive-engine embodying the principles of my invention, the cylinders, pistons, and a portion of the rocking beam being shown in section for the purpose of disclosing the construction of the parts. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the center of one of the cylinders, the piston being at the end of its stroke opposite to that shown in Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and 1' are plan views showing, respectively, the sliding cross-head and the rocking beam.

1 represents an engine bed or frame, which may be of any suitable construction, in one end of which is mounted a shaft 2, having tivo cranks 3 projecting in the same direction, while upon the other end of the bed is mounted a pair of cylinders 4, of ordinary construction and provided with ind uction valves 5 for admitting l[he charge of mixed air and gas, first exhaust-ports 6, and second exhaust-valves 7. The second exhaustvalves are operated by cams (not shown) in such manner and at such time as to open when the piston returns after the rst exhaust takes place and to close just in time to prevent the pistons striking them While approaching their cylinder-heads. Each of the cylinders contains a piston 8, While mounted at an intermediate point in the bed is a sliding cross-head 9, connected by pitman 10 with the cranks 3. Each piston 8 is connected by a link 11 with one end of a rocking beam 12, which is centrally pivoted at 13 upon the sliding cross-head 9 and provided with flanges 14, which tit accurately upon the upper and lower faces of the crossehead, while the forward faces of the rocking beam between the iianges 14 are inclined oppositely from the center, so as to permit the beam to rock upon its center 13.

15 represents packing-strips carried by the Yfaces of the rocking beam and extending vertically between the lianges 1st in such a way as to form, together with said Iianges and with the rear face of the cross-head 9, airchambers, Which as the beam rocks toward the cross-head will entrap air and form aircushions to relieve the parts from shock as they come together. In addition to these aircushions a leather or other packing 1G is preferably introduced between each meeting face of the beam 12 and the cross-head 9, as thereby the expense of accurate tting is avoided and the cushioning eiiect is improved. To better provide for entrapping the air to form the cushion, the cross-head 9 is provided with recesses 17, into which the packing-strips 15 enter as the beam approaches the cross-head. (See Fig. 3.) As shown in Fig. 3, pitmen 10 are attached to the cross-head 9 through the medium of bearings 18,\vhile the pin 13,which connects the rocking beam to the cross-head, is fixed to the cross-head by means of the capplate 19. The construction of the rocking beam Will readily be understood upon reference to Fig. 4.

The operation of the engine is as follows: WVhen the parts are in the positions shown in Fig. 1, the nearer piston is moved to the end of its cylinder and has practically expelled all of the products of combustion, while the farther piston has just completed the compression of its charge and is ready for explosion to take place. Vhile in this position the beam has rocked on its pivot 13 until the farther end has come against the cross-head, and the explosion which now takes place will be eX- erted directly upon said cross-head and in a straight line through the medium of the pitman 10 to the crankshaft 2. During the compression Which has just taken place it should be noted that the charge being compressed is what rocks the rocking beam and causes the piston in the near cylinder to move to the cylinder-head; but this force exerted by the compression of the charge is a yielding force, and it cannot canse impingement of the near piston with suiiicient force to damage the head of the cylinder. It is therefore practicable to adjust the parts so that the piston and cylinder will come practically together. It will further be seen that When the parts are in these positions and an explosion has taken place the outward stroke of the farther piston will uncover the exhaust-port C, while ICQ the outward stroke of the near piston when the beam is in the position shown'in Fig. l will move only to the position shown in Fig. 2 and will not uncover the exhaust-port 6. It therefore follows that the charge which has been drawn in by the outward movement of the near piston simultaneously with the forcing of the farther piston by the explosion which is taking place enters a partial vacuum and is therefore below atmospheric pressure, and the economy of the operation is correspondinglyincreased. It will further be seen that I am enabled to avoid the inrush of lingering products of combustion during this operation, because the discharge-port 6 is not uncovered. Such being the operation of the l engine during a single stroke, it will readily be'seen that ou the next stroke the charge which has entered the near cylinder will be compressed, rocking the beam l2 to the opposite position and causing the farther piston to expel all thev gases resulting from the explosion which has just taken place and holding said farther piston in a position which during the drawing in of the charge will not uncover the discharge-port 6. In this way the operation continues, each stroke both drawing in a charge and receiving the impulse of an explosion, all of the products of combustion being expelled after each explosion and each charge being drawn in under expansion without danger of return of the products of combustion with the various advantages hereinbefore recited.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

l. An explosive-engine embodying two cylinders, pistons working in the respective cylinders, a part moving to and fro through which the driven member of the engine is actuated, and a member having rocking connection with said to-and-fro-moving part, and to which the respective pistons are connected on opposite sides of its rocking connection; substantially in the manner and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination of the driven member of an explosive-engine, two cylinders into which a charge is alternately introduced, pistons in said cylinders, a rocking beam connected on opposite sides of its pivot with the respective pistons, whereby said pistons are rendered alternately yielding under the resistance of the charge being compressed, and a connection between the rocking beam and the driven member of the engine; for the purpose herein explained.

3. The combination of a pair of cylinders, pistons therein, a crank-shaft and cross-head driven thereby, a rocking beam mounted on the cross-head and connected to the pistons;

v substantially as described.

4. In an explosive-engine, the combination of a pair of cylinders, a crank-shaft, a crosshead having connection at its respective ends with the crank-shaft, a rocking beam centrally pivoted upon the cross-head, and link connections between the respective pistons and the ends of the rocking beam,which link connections are in line with the connections between the cross-head and the crank-shaft; substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In an explosive-engine, the combination of a pair of cylinders, pistons working in the respective cylinders, a cross-head, a rocking beam centrally pivoted on the cross-head and connected at its ends with the respective pistons, and an air-cushion interposed between each end of the rocking beam and the crosshead; substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. In an explosive-engine, the combination \of a pair of cylinders, pistons working in the cylinders, a crosshead having connection with the crank-shaft, a rocking beam centrally pivoted on said cross-head and connectcd at its ends with the respective pistons, flanges projecting from the .rocking beam on opposite sides of the cross-head, and packing-strips arranged transversely between said flanges and forming in connection with the anges and face of the cross-head a chamber which confines the air and provides an aircushion at each end of the rocking beam; substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

7. In an explosive-engine, the combination of a crank-shaft, a cylinder,a piston workingin said cylinder, and a connection between the piston and the crank-shaft including a rocking beam to one end of which the piston is connected, and means connected with the other end of said rocking beam for counterbalancing it and providing a cushion whereby the said piston may move to the end of the cylinder and expel all the gases, or may yield in compressing the charge; substantially in the manner and for the purposes set` forth.

8. An explosive-engine comprising a shaft having two cranks, a pair of cylinders provided With induction-valves, first exhaustports, and second exhaust-valves, the pistons located in the cylinders the sliding crosshead the pitmen connecting the cross-head with the cranks, the rocking beam pivoted to the cross-head, and the links whereby the pistons are connected with the rocking beam; substantially as described.

i). An explosive-engineembodyingadriven member; two cylinders; pistons working in the respective cylinders; and a to-and-fromoving part through which the driven member is actuated and with which the respective pistons have alternately-yielding connection.

THOMAS MALCOLMSON.

Witnesses:

WM. M. PARKER, JOHN T. MOORE.

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